Special Education/Inclusion Learning Specialist

Location Profile

Tarneit P-9 College opened its doors in January 2013 with an initial enrolment of 331 students. Since then, we have experienced rapid growth in line with our local community, reaching a peak enrolment of 2,366 students in 2023. Our current enrolment for 2025 is approximately 2000 students. Our core mission is to provide exceptional and inclusive educational opportunities to children in the diverse and expanding Tarneit area.

We are committed to high academic standards and excellence in all areas of school life. Our aim is to empower students with the knowledge, skills, and personal qualities needed to pursue their aspirations and make meaningful contributions to their communities.

The leadership of Tarneit P-9 College is dedicated to building teacher capacity and professional excellence. We aim to ensure that every student receives a high-quality, challenging, and engaging learning experiences. By fostering a positive educational environment, we nurture a lifelong love of learning and equip students with the tools to become confident, resilient, and aspirational individuals.

In 2022, we introduced a `House Model¿ to enhance student connectedness and foster a strong sense of belonging. This model supports students in becoming active participants in their learning journey.

The Professional Learning Community (PLC) Model is a key framework at our college for developing teacher capability. Our priorities within the PLC model include:

• Building a culture where every staff member knows their students well and is accountable for their learning, growth, and wellbeing.
• Using student data to drive differentiated teacher development, ensuring all students make measurable and ambitious progress.
• Engaging both staff and students in constructive feedback processes to continuously improve teaching and learning.
• Establishing and maintaining high, shared expectations, supported through peer observation, reflection, and action on feedback.

During the previous strategic planning cycle, we implemented an instructional model, established clear processes to plan and implement high quality curriculum and strengthened collaborative practices. While these initiatives laid a strong foundation, we recognise the need for deeper embedding and further improvement in student outcomes.

Moving forward, we will continue to apply evidence-based teaching strategies, enhance the use of data to inform curriculum and instruction, and prioritise cognitive challenge through High Impact Teaching Strategies (HITS) and rich learning tasks. Our goal is to improve both student learning achievement and wellbeing.

Tarneit P-9 College also places a strong emphasis on student wellbeing and a positive school culture. Programs such as School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) and Respectful Relationships (RR) are central to our approach. These initiatives are supported by a school-wide culture of positivity, proactivity, and mutual respect, where students, staff, and the wider community practice and model exemplary behaviour and foster a safe, inclusive learning environment.

We take pride in being an inclusive, innovative, and forward-thinking school. Our dedicated staff are our most valuable resource, and we are committed to recognising and supporting their contributions. Our Coaching, Wellbeing, and Principal Class teams work collaboratively to support staff and ensure optimal outcomes for all students.

Our teaching practices are guided by high-impact, research-based pedagogy. We maintain high expectations for student growth, aiming for more than one year¿s progress for every student across all subject areas. As a community of highly skilled educators, we encourage students to inquire, problem-solve, create, and apply their knowledge in meaningful ways.

At Tarneit P-9 College, we are proud of the rich educational experiences we provide, tailored to the needs and aspirations of our diverse and talented student community. Our school culture is grounded in the core values of Learning, Inclusiveness, Responsibility, and Pride. These values underpin everything we do and reflect our unwavering commitment to the success of every student.

Selection Criteria

SC1 Demonstrated expertise in inclusive teaching and learning practices, with the capacity to model high-quality, evidence based instructional strategies.

SC2 Demonstrated experience in planning, implementing and evaluating evidence-based intervention strategies for students with disabilities and providing feedback to teaching staff to inform their effectiveness and development.

SC3 Demonstrated ability to input into the development, implementation and evaluation of processes and strategies relating to teaching students with disability and diverse learning needs in a range of school settings.

SC4 Demonstrated ability to provide explicit advice to teaching staff to assess and monitor student achievement and learning progress in line with the Victoria curriculum, and support teaching staff with effective strategies to engage with parents and families, including reporting on student progress.

SC5 Highly developed communication, networking and interpersonal skills including the ability to liaise effectively with a wide range of people.

SC6 Demonstrated ability to provide leadership, professional learning and coaching that informs and influences the work of others involved in the engagement and wellbeing of children and young people.

Role

Learning Specialists will be highly skilled classroom practitioners who continue to spend the majority of their time in the classroom delivering high-quality teaching and learning and have a range of responsibilities related to their expertise, including teaching demonstration lessons, observing and providing feedback to other teachers and facilitating school-based professional learning. Learning Specialists are expected to have deep knowledge and expertise in high quality teaching and learning in delivering improved achievement, engagement and wellbeing for students. The role of the Learning Specialist will be to model excellence in teaching and learning through demonstration lessons and, mentoring and coaching teachers in improving the skill, knowledge and effectiveness of the teaching workforce.

The Learning Specialist role is aimed at building excellence in teaching and learning within the Teaching Service, including building the capacity of Education Support and Allied Health staff to support our students with diverse learning needs

Responsibilities

In recognition of the importance of exemplary practice for improved student learning outcomes, the key roles of the Learning Specialists may include but are not limited to:Demonstrating high-level expertise in teaching and learning practice

Modelling exemplary classroom practice including through teaching demonstration lessons

Working with the school leadership team to develop a shared view of highly effective teacher practice

Leading and modelling the implementation of whole-school improvement strategies related to inclusion and curriculum planning and delivery

Playing a key role in the provision of professional learning, including through developing processes and protocols for observation and feedback of teacher practice and peer collaboration

Modelling effective learning practice and supporting teachers and education support staff to seek, analyse and act on feedback and on their practice

Providing evidence-based feedback to teaching staff and education support staff to inform their effectiveness and development

Providing expert advice about the context, processes and strategies that will shape individual and school professional learning

Modelling exemplary use of student data to inform teaching approaches

Developing and promoting school-wide professional learning structures, processes and protocols through Professional Learning CommunitiesModelling exemplary professional learning practice included through seeking feedback from other teachers and leaders on their own classroom practice as part of critical reflection and inquiry to improve practice

Who May Apply
Teachers currently registered or eligible for registration with the Victorian Institute of Teaching and qualified to teach and who hold a special education qualification EEO AND OHS Commitment

Applicants seeking part-time employment are encouraged to apply for any teaching service position and, if they are the successful candidate, request a reduced time fraction. Such requests will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis and will be subject to the operational requirements of the school.

The Department of Education is committed to the principles of equal opportunity, and diversity and inclusion for all. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms - gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQ , disability and neurodiversity. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for roles within the Department.

The Department recognises that the provision of family friendly, supportive, safe and harassment free workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work, diversity and safety across all schools and Department workplaces. It is our policy to provide reasonable adjustments for persons with a disability (see Workplace adjustment guidelines).

Additional support and advice on the recruitment process is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islanders from the Koorie Outcomes Division (KOD) via *******

Child Safe Standards

Victorian government schools are child safe environments. Our schools actively promote the safety and wellbeing of all students, and all school staff are committed to protecting students from abuse or harm in the school environment, in accordance with their legal obligations including child safe standards. All schools have a Child Safety Code of Conduct consistent with the department's exemplar available at:

DE Values

The department's employees commit to upholding the department's Values: Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights. The department's Values complement each school's own values and underpin the behaviours the community expects of Victorian public sector employees, including those who work in Victorian Government Schools. Information on the department values is available at:

Other Information

• All staff employed by the Department and schools have access to a broad range of employment conditions and working arrangements.
• Appointment of successful applicants will be made subject to a satisfactory pre-employment conditions check.
• A probationary period may apply during the first year of employment and induction and support programs provided.
• Detailed information on all terms and conditions of employment is available on the Department's Human Resources website at

Conditions of Employment

• All staff employed by the Department and schools have access to a broad range of employment conditions and working arrangements.
• Appointment of successful applicants will be made subject to a satisfactory pre-employment conditions check.
• A probationary period may apply during the first year of employment and induction and support programs provided.
• Detailed information on all terms and conditions of employment is available on the Department's Human Resources website at

VIT LANTITE

To be eligible for employment, transfer or promotion in the principal or teacher class a person must have provisional or full registration from the Victorian Institute of Teaching. In addition, from 3 August 2020, to be eligible for employment in the principal class or teacher class, a person who graduated from a Victorian Initial Teacher Education program after 1 July 2016, must demonstrate that they have passed the literacy and numeracy test for initial teacher education (LANTITE) requirements. This condition is satisfied where the LANTITE requirement is part of the Victorian Initial Teacher Education program completed by the person.

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